History
History : Kendell
KD Photo Album
KENDELL AIRLINES HISTORY (S.A. SECTION) by Nigel Daw Don Kendell, the founder of Kendell Airlines, learnt to fly at age 19 in a Tiger Moth at the Wagga Flying School. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
He gained experience as a joyride pilot, then a charter pilot, looked for work as a pilot in Alice Springs, failed to find it, and signed on as a bulldozer driver. He saved enough to pay for a boat trip to England, where he obtained a job with British European Airways (BEA) in 1955, aged 25.
In 1959, now married with a son, Don returned to Australia. It was to be six years before he set up his own charter operation at Wagga Wagga, which he was to run so differently from the way BEA worked. In the meantime he farmed, but found life too quiet. The charter operation flourished, assisted by some good years on the land. Rural agents were flown all over S.A. and Queensland to buy stock. In 1966, Premiair Aviation (a partnership with his wife) was formed and a year later Premiair Aviation Pty Ltd was registered. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Kendell Airlines operated its first regular passenger operation on 18 October 1971 when the Piper PA31/310 VH-DAP flew Wagga Wagga to Melbourne direct. Ansett Airlines of Australia had vacated the route in July, in favour of Kendell. In the first week 36 passengers were carried. On 3 July 1972, Kendell extended its Melbourne to Wagga Wagga flights to West Wyalong & Sydney (Flights to the latter city were ceased on 17 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
March 1973). On 19 March 1973, Kendell commenced Wagga Wagga to Canberra with Griffith added on 20 August 1973. This route was sold effective 16 March 1981. Also on 19 March 1973 a West Wyalong to Cowra service was commenced to connect with the East-West Sydney to Cowra flights. However, this service was short lived as it ceased on 31 July 1973.
In 1979, the airline moved into turbo-prop. operations when the first Swearingen Metro II was added to the fleet. Passenger growth and additional routes taken over from Ansett saw the delivery of the first SAAB 340A in February 1985. Until 1981, Don Kendell combined his many duties as head of the airline with regular trips as a pilot. He stopped commercial flying that year because of age and the difficulty of having so many other things to attend to right up until he stepped on board an aircraft. During March 1984, Kendell Airlines (Australia) Pty Ltd was registered in Victoria. Kendell made its first foray into South Australia on 22 May 1983 when it commenced Melbourne to Mount Gambier route replacing the Ansett Fokker F.27. In the mid-1980s, when Ansett (via News Ltd/TNT) bought 35% of Kendell Airlines, Don Kendell and his wife resisted overtures to sell the remainder. However, in June 1990, when doom clouds laden with deregulation fears massed over the industry, the rest of the Company was sold, but Don Kendell continued to sit on the board. Kendell Airlines made its first scheduled flight into Adelaide on 17 November 1985 when the Adelaide to Mount Gambier route was taken over from Airlines of S.A. (A.S.A.) On 18 February 1986 the General Manager of A.S.A., Mick Connelly announced the impending closure of the airline on 30 June 1986 and that all routes would be handed over to Kendell. This was as the result of A.S.A.'s loss of the lucrative Santos Moomba contract during 1985 and competition from smaller, regional airlines, which operated a spread of services with more efficient and cheaper to operate aircraft. Due to the size of A.S.A's Fokker F27s they were rapidly becoming an unsuitable aircraft for the route structure on which they were operating. Takeover of routes occurred on: 10 March 1986 Adelaide to Ceduna and Streaky Bay, Adelaide to Broken Hill. Streaky Bay ceased on 2 August 1991. 28 June 1986 Adelaide to Port Lincoln, Adelaide to Whyalla. 23 August 1986 Adelaide to Woomera, Olympic Dam and Coober Pedy – ceased Woomera 10 February 1997. 2 May 1987 Adelaide to Yulara via Coober Pedy – ceased Yulara 28 June 1997. 1 October 1990 Adelaide to Kingscote. During February 1992, Kendell Airlines was awarded the Air Transport World magazine's worldwide 'Regional Airline of the Year' award. 30 October 2000 Adelaide to Canberra – ceased 13 September 2001 Kendell ceased operations in S.A. on 13 September 2001 as the Ansett Administrators closed the airline the next day, but re-commenced operations on 27 September 2001. The Ansett subsidiary was later sold to Australiawide Airlines Ltd trading as 'Regional Express'. Kendell Airlines ceased operations on the 31 July 2002 and the following day the 'Kendell' name passed into history. On 1 August Australiawide Airlines Ltd was issued with its 'Air Operators Certificate' and, on 6 August, the new airline 'Regional Express' was launched. (Note: Another source states that Kendell & Hazelton were officially sold 1 August and began operating as Regional Express on 5 August. This will be clarified). |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Adelaide to Ceduna Ceduna to Adelaide |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Adelaide to Coober Pedy
Coober Pedy to Adelaide |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Adelaide to Kingscote
Kingscote to Adelaide |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Adelaide to Mount Gambier
Mount Gambier to Adelaide |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Adelaide to Olympic Dam
Olympic Dam to Adelaide |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Olympic Dam to Coober Pedy
Coober Pedy to Olympic Dam |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Adelaide to Port Lincoln
Port Lincoln to Adelaide |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Adelaide to Whyalla
Whyalla to Adelaide |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Adelaide to Woomera
Woomera to Adelaide |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Woomera to Olympic Dam
Olympic Dam to Woomera |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
CP = Coober Pedy, OD = Olympic Dam, WR = Woomera
Background on Towns and Cities served by Kendell from Adelaide |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Adelaide | South Australian capital, located on St Vincent Gulf. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ayers Rock | Tourism icon located in south west of Northern Territory. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Broken Hill | Mining town located in far west of NSW. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Canberra | Capital city of Australia located in Australian Capital Territory. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ceduna | Fishing and tourism town located in the far west of S.A. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Coober Pedy | Opal-mining town located in far north of S.A. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Kingscote | Situated on Kangaroo Island, which is known for farming and tourism, and is located in Southern Ocean off the coast of SA | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Mount Gambier | Farming, industrial and tourism town located in the south of S.A. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Olympic Dam | Mining town located in far north of S.A. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Port Lincoln | Fishing and tourism town located at southern end of Eyre Peninsula. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Streaky Bay | Fishing and tourism town located in the far west of S.A | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Whyalla | Industrial city located on Spencers Gulf. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Woomera | Rocket and weapon testing range located in far north of S.A. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Editor's Note:
This article was compiled from the author's own notes, newspaper articles, 'Country Connection (the Kendell In-flight Magazine), and information from Roger McDonald and Fred Niven. Additional information would be most welcome. A fully detailed article on Kendell operations in NSW, Victoria, Queensland and Tasmania deserves to be written but this Editor does not have the research material. Nigel Daw December 2002 KD Photo Album |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||